


A Dragon and a Mouse Join the Hive

by arcadian_hiraeth



Series: Miraculous Stories [6]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste Knows, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Acts Like a Cat, Bee Chloé Bourgeois | Queen Bee, Bisexual Chloé Bourgeois, Dragon Kagami Tsurugi | Ryuko, Fox Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Gen, Good Chloé Bourgeois, Horse Max Kanté | Pegasus, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Acts Like a Bug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Knows, Minor Marc Anciel/Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Miraculous Holder Chloé Bourgeois, Miraculous Holder Marc Anciel, Miraculous Holder Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Mouse Marc Anciel, Mouse Miraculous, New Miraculous Holders, Post-Reveal Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:08:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22686001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcadian_hiraeth/pseuds/arcadian_hiraeth
Summary: Kagami is discreetly questioned about her ability to keep a secret. Marc jumps to conclusions.
Relationships: Marc Anciel/Nathaniel Kurtzberg
Series: Miraculous Stories [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1588762
Comments: 19
Kudos: 303





	1. Chapter 1

Sitting on Chloé's large bead, the five Miraculous Heroes try to calm their beating hearts. The akuma was speed based, and they really only needed the lucky charm, but all of them went out anyway. That turned out to be a mistake, as the transforming and the running around only got them a heavy dose of adrenaline. There had to be a better way of dealing with that.

"Do we really need to question Kagami?" Adrien asked, uncomfortable at the prospect of interrogating his friend. No one was surprised at the question. The blond boy hated conflict and unprompted confrontation. 

Chloé rolled her eyes, "You're the one who volunteered."

He frowned, "Yeah, but she didn't tell anyone she was Ryuko, even though Princess told her she wouldn't be use the Miraculous anymore."

Max thought for a moment, "There is a-"

Abruptly, Nathaniel squeaked out an, "Oh, crap!"

Marinette's head snapped up, despite her being asleep a moment ago. "What? What's wrong?"

The redhead turned to her, turning his screen in her direction, "Marc said 'we need to talk.'"

Chloé gave him a sympathetic look. "I'll get you the mint chocolate chip ice cream. Do you have a favourite chick-flick?"

Tikki gave the blonde a scolding look. "Marc isn't breaking up with him."

"Actually," Max pushed up his glasses, "There is a high chance it does. Or something equally serious."

Nathaniel bit his lip, and shook his head, though his eyes were shiny. "If they really don't want to be with me anymore, I won't be mad at them for it."

* * *

Marc nervously fidgeted with their hands, hood pulled up high and over their head. They aren't... dumb, or oblivious. They know how much time Nathaniel has been spending with that group from his class. Sure, they texted all the time, and he got his inking and sketching done, but they rarely saw each other outside of school. And even in school they only saw him during lunch. It was like Nathaniel was actively avoiding them.

It was hard to stay calm enough not to be Akumatized.

So, with the information they had, they came to a rather ~~not~~ logical conclusion. Nathaniel was cheating on them.

Well, there was also the possibility he finally came to his senses and hated them, and will coerce Marinette to see the light, too(or maybe it was the other way around?).

But Marc didn't have all the facts, so they sent Nathaniel a text. Five minutes ago. And now they're nervously waiting because their boyfriend responded with 'where are you?' which meant he was coming to Marc's favourite cafe, like, now(Even if it was Nathaniel's favourite first, but that was because the owner made sure the food was kosher).

They really aren't ready to see which of the two options was the right one. And they really didn't want their favourite cafe's memory to be tainted with the break-up with their first lover, but it was impossible to change locations now. That wo-

A chiming doorbell caught Marc's attention, and their eyes caught ones of electric-turquoise framed with scarlet hair. They could feel their teeth sink harshly into their lip, but they didn't bother to try and lessen the pressure. They were nervous, okay, and no one could tell them how to cope. Their fingers twisted painfully in their lap, but they couldn't find it in themselves to stop that, either.

Their boyfriend took a seat in front of him. They had already told the waitresses not to go near them when they ordered(a milkshake and a fruit parfait for him, and apple juice and pain au chocolat for them), but they still took a look around. No one seemed to be staring at them, so they turned to their boyfriend.

The redhead was just as nervous, nails tapping against his glass, foot tapping on the floor in an erratic, unsteady beat. 

Marc took a deep breath. They can do this. It's not such a big deal(They're lying. Nathaniel is their first romantic partner, it's going to hurt no matter what option it is). Finally, the raven-haired ball of nervousness blurted, "Are you cheating on me?"

* * *

Adrien tried to focus on his breathing. He could do this. It was simple. Just ask Kagami if she could keep a secret bigger than Ladybug's identity. Or something like that. It isn't hard to do(He's lying. One mess up, and Kagami could figure it out).

Maybe he should ask another hero's identity?

A steady, cold hand pressed against his shoulder, just heavy enough to ground him. The aforementioned girl gave him a stiff smile, "Good morning, Adrien."

He gave a shaky one in return. "Hey, uh, Kagami! Um..."

The girl's smile was gone as she turned to look at him, but she didn't seem angry, or even annoyed. Maybe even a little curious. "Adrien, if you have a question, please ask it."

"WhatwouldyoudoifIknewLadybug'sidentity?"

The raven-haired girl blinked. Then blinked again. "I apologise, but might you repeat that?"

"Um, 'What would you do if I knew Ladybug's identity..?'"

* * *

Nathaniel brought his hands up to deny, "No! I would never cheat on you, I l-like you more than my sister! Why- What made you think I would do something like that?"

They averted their eyes, "You... You're never around me anymore. I only see you during lunch, and even then you're distracted."

The Jewish boy deflates, taking a sip of his milkshake. Marc knew it was a feeble attempt at distracting himself, but they somehow still found it cute. Even if the boy was almost most-definitely at least avoiding them.

"I..." The redhead looks nervous. He can't look Marc in the eye, and he might even be biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. "I'll be right back!"

Marc's boyfriend stands up abruptly, and dashes to the front of the store and out the door. Their eyes are trained on Nathaniel, but their mind is focused on exactly what the truth is. They were just told they weren't being cheated on. And given the amount Nathaniel respects and loves his sister, they can't figure out if the previous statement was true. Maybe that's why they didn't notice the golden haired girl stand up and follow their boyfriend.

* * *

Kagami tried a smile again, and this time it was a little less forced. "I would tell you to keep it a secret. Her personal life and all those close to her would be at risk. It is why I- try to keep the actions that are against our parent's rules unvoiced."

Adrien practically deflates in his relief. "That- That's nice to hear."

The blond goes through the possible options now. Kagami is, in his opinion, allowed the Dragon Miraculous. The others still need to make their decisions. He can text them in the locker room, when Kagami isn't right near him.

The Japanese girl nods, "I'll see you later, Adrien."

They split off, going into the separate changing rooms. Adrien wonders where someone like Marc, who is neither a 'he' nor a 'she', would change. He might be able to ask the instructor later.

Quickly, before changing, Adrien sent a quick text to the group chat. He couldn't stay long enough to see a response, so he just left his phone in his locker.

**PersonalHeater**

kagamis apprved in my book 

what do u guys think 

**Genius**

I agree. My research has shown she is trustworthy. 

**QueenBusyBee**

Tsurugi is okay 

She didn't rat out Mari's old secret of liking habibi 

Or her own 

* * *

Nathaniel, hidden in the alley between the cafe and another store with Chloé, tried to shake off the nervous anxiety pooling in his gut. "What do I do? Should I tell them the truth? Should I lie? Should I break up with them?"

The blonde girl pressed her lips thin, hands on her hips like a scolding mother, "No. You are not breaking up with them."

"But- What do I do then? I need to prove I'm not cheating or else Marc'll hate me forever!"

"The truth, you idiot."

"But-"

"No. No buts. Go back in there and tell them the truth."

"But-"

"Nathaniel."

"-what if someone overhears!?"

"... Then we go to Mari's place. Now, go get your _beloved ange_ l."

" _Please_ tell me you're going to let that go."

"Never."

* * *

Marinette watched the two from her seat. She couldn't read lips, but she thought she was pretty good at reading body language. Nathaniel was reluctant... worried? While Chloé was in control, full on Mother Bee mode.

She almost pitied Nath, but Mother Bee was only present when Chloé felt enough, uh, 'discordance in the hive'? The heroine didn't really know what that meant, but she figured it was one of the personal side effects of becoming one with a God that decides to take on the animal form of a Queen Bee. Like how Max can now sleep standing up. Or how Adrien's eyes, if you look close enough, have slitted pupils.

The girl's eyes stray from her friends, locking on the flower shop across the street. She's pretty sure Marc and Nathaniel modelled the flower shop in their comic after the one across the street, or at least used it as inspiration. But she was paying more attention to the orange-jacket, grey-romper wearing Lila Rossi. She didn't look particularly malicious or cunning at the moment, but she was gazing at a bouquet of chrysanthemum flowers.

Marinette did a presentation on them a couple years ago. She doesn't remember much, especially because of how little sleep she got the past week, but she knows they can be harmful if someone eats them. Not, like, death-level harm, but nausea, vomiting, and rashes aren't too pleasant, either.

**LuckyLady**

following liar 

be gone for a bt 

bit* 

With that done, the girl got up, and left the cafe. She spared Chloé and Nathaniel a nod, both of them looking over the girl's phone, who nodded and smiled back, respectively. She hid in an alley, transformed, and took to the rooftops to follow Lila. All the way to her house.

Call it stalking, but Lila wasn't known for being the best person. And those flowers can be used to her advantage. Would she eat them and blame it on Marinette? Would she put it in someone's food?

Watching through the window with sharp eyes, Ladybug had a front row seat of the shrine of a girl. Her hair was a few shades darker, her eyes a sharp blue, and she was a few years younger, but she was undeniably related to Lila. Candles, memorial candles, were lit around the picture, a pair of fox hair clips and thread bracelets that matched Lila's were in front of the picture. If she looked hard enough, she could see little frays in the bracelets, and damages to the hair clips.

The Italian girl takes out the decaying bouquets and replaces them, disappearing momentarily to, presumably, through them away. She says some words that are unheard by Ladybug, but the mourning of a life long past is easy to see.

Chrysanthemums are flowers of death, at least in Europe, how was she so stupid to not think of that?

**LuckyLady**

nvm 

lilas nt doing anyrhing 

not* anything* 

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Nathaniel asked a waitress for some boxes, pointing at their table, and went to rejoin with Marc. The teen was staring straight at him, mascara-lined eyes wide and glossed lips parted in... surprise? Did they not think he was coming back?

Nathaniel took his seat opposite to his lover, smiling nervously. "Um, I asked the waitress to get us some boxes. Is- Are you okay with going to Marinette's place?"

"... Why?"

"I, um, need to talk to you- privately."

"If- If you want to break up with me, please just say it."

"I'm not breaking up with you. And I'm not cheating on you. I just- I need to explain somewhere safer."

The waitress came back with the boxes, looking awkward as she handed the check over. The payment and boxing everything up was as full of chatter as the walk to Marinette's. That is to say, not very. As in, they didn't talk. At all. The redhead had never been so grateful Chloé wasn't near him, having already left after her 'pep-talk'(something about looking after something?). 

They both gave the Dupain-Cheng parents a short wave and a stiff smile, but the adults didn't seem to notice as they waved back.

When they get up, Marinette and Adrien have taken their place on the former's bed, Chloé on the chaise lounge, Max on the left side of the desk under Mari's bed, and Markov right next to him. Kagami stood awkwardly on the rug. The Kwami's were nowhere to be found. As the two of them climbed up, their gazes snapped to them.

Nathaniel gave the Japanese girl and the rich boy weird looks. Their fencing classes weren't supposed to end this early. Seeming to catch on, Adrien shrugged, "M. D'Argencourt had something come up, so he ended lessons early."

Kagami gave a small wave, "Good afternoon, Kurtzberg and- who are you?"

Marc flushed, stuffing their hands in their pockets and turning their head away. "Marc."

Chloé cleared her throat, "So, to keep this short. Kagami, we're giving you Longg back. There is no Akuma. Marc, everyone here is a superhero, or at least was and is becoming one again. Marinette is Ladybug, Adrien is Chat Noir, Nathaniel is Filou, Max is Pegasus, Kagami is Ryuko, and I'm obviously Queen Bee. Oh, and assuming you haven't broken up with Foxie, since he brought you here, your getting a Miraculous too- and Nath's password for everything is some form of 'Beloved Angel Marc.'"

Nathaniel groaned, both his and Marc's face heating up. His lover only buried their face further into their hoodie. This time, he was sure Chloé took a picture. "Please let that go!"

"Never in a million years, Foxie."

"Oh... So you're not cheating on me?"

Max snorted, "The probability of Nathaniel doing that is 0%. He simply joins us for every Akuma or Amok, like the rest of us."

"That seems... excessive." Kagami cut in, looking only slightly uncomfortable, "Why not have shifts, or a criteria for who can fight an Akuma or Amok while the others rest?"

"..."

Marinette hung her head, "We need more sleep."

Chloé frowned, "It shouldn't have taken this long for someone to think of that."

Kagami tilted her head, "Do you not have proper schedules?"

"The Akumas or Amoks are very hard to predict, other than the fact of them being very common. I haven't been able to come up with a working estimate, except for days near holidays and during usually have a spike in activity."

"Especially Valentines."

There was a murmur of agreement between the unmasked heroes.

Marc shuffled their feet a little. "So... Is getting a Miraculous something every new friend will get?"

There was a small snort from Adrien, who announced, "Yeah, actually. Expect a lot more hero friends," the same time Marinette said, "No. Just people I trust."

Chloé rolled her eyes, "You trust all of your friends, new or not, Mari."

Max pushed up his glasses, smiling, "There is a high chance Marinette is in denial."

The blue-black haired girl squawked, bemused. She said something in Mandarin which was probably, based on Adrien's face, a curse or two. Chloé really needs to learn Mandarin, but she wants to learn Arabic first.

A loud, blaring alarm sounded from everyone's phones, which triggered everyone with a Miraculous to transform. Ladybug gave them a stern look, a complete 180 from her civilian persona, "Stay here, we'll give you two your Miraculous when we get back."

All Marc and Kagami had to do was wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I made a mistake with Marc's pronouns, please tell me. I really don't want to mess it up, and I know I can't get every mistake I make when I proof read something. And can Jews have milkshakes and fruit parfaits? I know the milk comes from cows(a kosher animal, so it's allowed), but I'm not sure about the other ingredients. Yogurt can be made with gelatin that's not from pork, but I can't find a clear answer for granola.
> 
> This wasn't edited, so please tell me if you find any mistakes!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi.
> 
> My Chromebook died, and since I was stupid enough to not have a backup of my chapters, all the ones i was writing got deleted. It took a few days for me to get over the anger and stuff.
> 
> Thank you all for waiting and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Kagami was worried. These children were putting unnecessary stress upon themselves. They all think they all have to go to an akuma fight, for one. The more experienced heroes are too tired to think of anything different, while the newer ones are too excited to focus on something other than being a hero.

She doesn’t know what idiot thought it would be a good idea to give children all-powerful weapons and always-crushing responsibility, but she wants to impale him. She can really only be grateful Marinette and Adrien were prideless enough to get help.

Sure, the help is other children who also have lives and expectations to meet, but it’s better than nothing.

And she’s glad she’s been given the opportunity to prove herself useful, even with her identity being known. At least it’s only Hawk Moth(and possibly Mayura) who know, since her Mother doesn’t remember and she doesn’t care to follow the news of the heroes.

Kagami’s suit was a little different, though. It still had the red, gold, and black, but it looked a little more… a little less composed. Her hair was, too. It was like a yukata, but it went just past her knees, the top pushed down so the sleeves started at her elbows. A black, sleeveless turtleneck lay under it, a rim of gold around the top, with a red bead at the center. In the middle, the elemental symbol stood proud. On the skirt and right sleeve, the same dragon tail design winded.

Adrien took one look at it, shrugged, and said, “Guess I’m not the only one who sees it as stress relief, now.”

Kagami didn’t really know what that meant. Chloe rolled her eyes, “You're not the only one, _habibi_.” Her eyes shifted to Kagami, “Though the new look suits you. Are you gonna keep the same name?”

The Japanese girl knew names have power, so she shook her head. What’s one better suited for her… new appearance? She already took the most obvious name, so something more wild might be better. “Sekiryu.”

She saw Nathaniel turn to his computer, open a new tab, and type in ‘sekirau’. She silently commended him for at least trying. He clicked a few things before finding the right meaning. “‘Fire Dragon?’ That’s so cool!”

And then Ladybug gave Marc the Mouse Miraculous. The kid looked so nervous, Kagami pitied them(Marinette, Chloe and(of course) Nathaniel did too). But pushing them out of their comfort zone is a better way to get them used to things like this.

When they transformed, they looked like a cute mouse. Their pulled up hood had mouse ears on it, and their palms and bottom of their feet were pink. The jump rope settled around their waist, both a weapon and a tail. Even though Mullo didn’t have a white belly, Marc’s suit did.

Nathaniel joined Chloe in taking a picture.

Nervously, they spoke. “Uh, P- Piccola Topo? The, um, the first word is feminine, and the- the second word is masculine, so they kinda cancel eachother out?”

“ _Ya sokar,”_ Chloe tapped a few things on her phone, not even glancing up once, “What language was that?”

Next to her sewing machine, Marinette rolls her eyes with a soft smile.

Marc begins to crack his fingers, but they don’t make any noise, “Um, it’s Italian.”

Kagami tilts her head ever so slightly, confused. It was cute. “Why would the genders cancelling out matter?”

Adrien grimaced, the sound of in-game failure quiet but loud enough for anyone to hear. He looked up and gave his fencing partner a grin, “That’s cuz Marc’s- uh, was is gender neutral or nonbinary? I always get those two confused.”

“Um, nonbinary.”

“Pardon my lack of knowledge, but what do those terms mean?”

“Gender neutral, in this context, is someone who identifies as having no gender or being without a gender identity. Nonbinary, in this context, is someone who does not identify with being exclusively male for female, and usually fall somewhere on a spectrum between the two.” Max had been so quiet, Marc flinched when he suddenly spoke. But the smaller boy turned in his chair to look at Marc, “Is that right?”

Hesitantly, Marc nodded.

“If you aren’t male or female, why is your name masculine?”

“... My brother chose the name for me.”

Seeing their unease, Kagami let it go.

And for that, Marc was grateful.

* * *

Sometimes, there are things you can’t change. In this instance, it’s all heroes going out at the same time. Granted, they said it was just because they wanted to run with the new heroes, and they would stop after this one time, but… Kagami didn’t really believe them.

She knew Adrien and she’s heard passing stories about Chloe, so she knew they could be stubborn. So stubborn, in fact, it could be annoying. She doubts those two would give up their freedom, however short-lived it is. And she doubts Marinette would just drop something she thinks is a job she can’t take a break from.

And she also doesn’t think hiding out and making plans in their houses isn’t a very good idea. Sure, it’s only been Chloe and Marinette’s places so far, but the latter’s parents and the former’s servants could eavesdrop at any moment. So, “We need a headquarters.”

There’s a pregnant pause before Chloe says, “I can pay someone to find a place.”

Kagami shakes her head, “No. It needs to be a secret.”

“Kagami is right. Someone could make a connection, and no ‘magic’ can prevent that.”

“Actually,” Tikki says, “We think we found out why some of you were able to figure out the other’s identities.”

Oh? Kagami should ask about that later.

Plagg swallows a cheese danish, “It’s cuz they didn’t pose a threat to you, if they found out.”

Pollen nods, “Yes. Nathaniel kept quiet about it, refusing to even tell his partner about it. Max was only planning to confront you about it to see if he was right. My Queen respected Ladybug and Adrien too much to put them in that sort of danger. And Marinette would refuse to believe Adrien being Chat, but their teamwork would be better if they knew each other. So, Adrien found out first.”

Nevermind, she’s been given an answer.

Adrien pouted, “Why is it so hard to believe I’m Chat Noir?”

Marinette grimaced, “It isn’t, Mon Minou, it just brings up some things if I think about it too much.”

Nathaniel clears his throat, “Um. About the HQ thing- Would one of our friends know someplace?”

“I could have Markov search for abandoned places.”

Marc cracks their knuckles as they speaks, “Um, try not to choose a place in the Northern 18th and 19th district, around Marx Dormoy, Porte de la Chapelle, La Chapelle, Porte de Clignancourt, or Porte de la Villette.”

Everyone stares at them for a moment. They try to hide in their hoodie, “Cuz, um, it’s where the most crime is? Uh, normal crime, I mean.”

“ _Sokar_ , how do you know that?”

“Um. My- my Mother. She’s a cop.”

Marinette hums, “Okay. What are the safest places?”

“Tourist areas.”

Max nods, adjusting his glasses. “Marc is right. And tourist areas are where most of the akumas come from, only second to schools.”

Chloe presses her lips thin, contemplating. “I- I already have a hideout. Sort of.”

Adrien frowned, “Why wouldn’t you tell us?”

“It was supposed to be a surprise. And double as a safe place for someone to crash. And large enough for at least nineteen people to live in.”

“ _Nineteen?”_

Her cheeks were a cute shade of pink, “One for each Kwami and their holder.”

“That… That is awesome!”

Kagami decides she likes pink. “It is quite nice of you. And very convenient.”

Marinette grins, “Chloe, your amazing.’

“Who knew you could be so nice?”

Chloe’s cheeks burn a little more at the compliments, but she remains confident and proud, “Yeah, well, it’s not done yet. The construction and the furnishing won’t be finished until, like, six months from now. And we’ll have to wait a little longer for the contracts to be signed.”

“Construction?”

“Small renovations.”

“And _contracts?”_

“For staff. The contracts are to keep them quiet, as we’ll be talking about hero things around them. And, trust me, we can’t not have staff. Especially for such a big place.”

“Chloe. Exactly how big is it?”

She shrugged, “It’s not really that big. Just six floors.”

“Oh my god where did you get the money from?”

“It’s an early birthday gift from Daddy.”

Adrien stares at the others, “Why are you so surprised? It’s not like it’s that much money.”

“ _Please_ tell me you're not joking.”

“I’m not, though?”

"Oh my god."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this probably isn't canon, but I wanted Marc to come from Italy so it would feel a little more natural for them to suggest an Italian hero name. And it could also explain why they didn't really have any friends- being the new kid means it's hard to find your place in a friend group, and even more so when your from a different country. 
> 
> Oh! And the miraculous wiki uses 'they' when talking about Mullo(something i found out, like, halfway through writing this chapter) which is so awesome, especially since Marc won't be the only one! Also, I chose the 'piccola topo' name(and it being Italian in the first place) because mullo was going to be called toppo, but they changed it to the name we have now.
> 
> ALSO, anytime Chloe says something in a different language, it's something like 'sugar' or 'beloved', because the Chloe of this story likes saying terms of endearments in other languages so she can get away with being mushy and sweet. And if any of the terms(they're all arabic in this chapter) are used in the wrong context, it'd be a big help if you let me know!


End file.
